Introduction
Imagine Portage Street as a signature gateway into downtown Kalamazoo - a thriving corridor in which to work,
do business, and play, as envisioned by the Edison Neighborhood's businesses, property owners, and residents.
The Edison Mainstreet Program is the framework for the physical and economic changes that will make this vision a reality.
The Edison Mainstreet Program is driven by volunteers and spearheaded by a unique partnership of the Edison
Business Association, the Edison Neighborhood Association, Downtown Kalamazoo Inc., Bronson Hospital, and the
Local Initiatives Support Corporation, Mainstreet's principal fiduciary sponsor. In 2001 alone, Edison Mainstreet
raised over $1 million in funding commitments and logged over 500 hours of volunteer time from business and
property owners, local non-profit organizations, City of Kalamazoo staff, financial institutions, and other
interested stakeholders.
Portage Street, the first commercial corridor outside downtown Kalamazoo, is the major artery connecting
the Kalamazoo-Battle Creek airport and Interstate 94 to downtown. As such, it represents many visitors'
first impressions of the city - explaining why both Pharmacia Corporation and Bronson Hospital, two of
the area's largest employers, have targeted the revitalization of Portage Street as a necessary tool for
recruiting and retaining employees.
Edison Mainstreet, through a concentrated four-point approach that includes design, organization, promotions,
and economic restructuring, aims to transform both the appearance and functionality of this critical street.
Initial areas of focus include:
- Helping businesses and commercial property owners create ways to implement good design, supplying financial
resources to assist in renovation projects, and working with public partners to make needed infrastructure improvements
- Developing a positive business district image, helping businesses strengthen their marketing efforts, and
creating more opportunities for people to visit and do business in the Portage Street corridor
- Gathering information to help business and property owners make better investment decisions, analyzing the
market to identify best assets and market needs, developing strategies for change, and facilitating
property redevelopment
- Building a core volunteer group to support revitalization through leadership and fundraising efforts
Edison Mainstreet is in sync with the goals of both Partners Building Community a collaborative community
development effort spearheaded by the City of Kalamazoo, and Edison Weed and Seed, a neighborhood revitalization
program designated by the Federal Department of Justice. For more information on Edison Mainstreet contact
Marissa Ferrari, Mainstreet Coordinator at (269) 344-0795 or mferrari@dki.org.
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